As we mature, we sometimes forget how to play, how to experience that childlike innocent fun.

I got to have a little fun the other day on Facebook. I saw a comment from a sweet friend that I hadn’t seen in a while. Her name is Jeanice and I met her through JournEzine, which is a monthly Christian magazine and part of Heart of God International Ministries, when I wrote a monthly column for them.

This is what I saw that Jeanice posted on Facebook:

And this is what followed (she allowed me to recount all this. It’s the day after the Kentucky Derby as I write this):

I responded: Knock! Knock! Can I come play with you?
Jeanice: Absolutely!
Me: LOL Thanks for sharing your tent with me. I’ll bring the Oreos and juice boxes!
Jeanice: I have a lot of crayons! We can sharpen them on our teeth and laugh at the colors. 😛Me: LOLOL Now, that’s a new one! Well, as long as the crayon will scrape off my front caps!
Jeanice: Well, sometimes one has to jump all in, Lynn…take a risk!Me: LOL I’ll just say I’m dressed to the teeth for Derby!
Then someone else said: Can we stand on our heads? We can make *funny* (not the word she used 😉 ) noises with out mouths and then laugh uproariously?Me: I will if you will! 😀
Me: Oh, oh, oh! We have to turn upside down and drink a Coke and snort so it comes out our noses! LOL
Jeanice: hahaha
Me: LOL Well, this was fun! I have to go home now but can we play again sometime? 😀

After some pleasantries, I told Jeanice I thought there was a blog post brewing somewhere under her tent. And so…here we are!

All this made me wonder: how much fun do we, as so-called grownups, have? Do we take time to make fun?

Years ago, I had hubs cut up a large cardboard box from a clothes dryer. Granddaughter #1 (now almost 13) loved it. This is how we looked before the box was cut.

We also made many tents in the family room and had tea parties and picnics under them. We haven’t yet done this for Granddaughters #2 (almost 6) and #3 (almost 5). But we will!

Do you play Hide and Seek with your kids or grandkids? Or play ball or chase? Or rake up the leaves in fall and jump in? Or have you forgotten that playful side?

I don’t get a chance for much playfulness. My fibro-ed body doesn’t care for it too much. Oh, we do other things, crafts and Hide and Seek.

Did you notice what Jeanice said? Well, sometimes one has to jump all in, Lynn…take a risk!

Hmmm…do we do that? Do we take a risk to just have some fun? Do we build tents and let in our friends? Have a picnic or a tea party with our kids or grandkids?

Do we get in touch with our kid side? Not the immature one but the one who plays and has fun. The one without a care in the world. To seek a little diversion, a little amusement, a little recreation. To laugh. To experience merriment.